Dream On (Jonathan Toews)

Chapter Twenty-Five| Stanley Cup Champions

Jonathan

We win game five in regulation and fly out to Boston for game six leading the series 3-2. Mary Kate and I get situated in the hotel room and my parents text me where to meet them for dinner. They found a little bistro between TD Garden and our hotel that would be good for introductions and the getting to know you part of the night. "Do I look fine" Mary Kate asks me spinning around. "You look adorable" I say grabbing her hands so she'll calm down. She was wearing a white floral sun dress and white wedges. Since it was well into June now it was weird to be still playing hockey when it's so warm outside, but I enjoyed it. "Are you sure" she asks and I nod. "Okay then, lets go" she cheers and pulls me out the door.

We get through introductions easily and order our food. "So Mary Kate, tell me about yourself" my mom says as I roll my eyes. I already told her everything but I guess she needed to hear it from her for it to be true. "Well, thanks to Jonathan here I'm able to chase my dream. Dreams I once let go because I thought I didn't have a choice. But I have the best job with the best team along side the best guy" she say with a blinding smile. "Rumor has it you play hockey" my dad says. "Yeah, I'm actually going to play for the USA woman's team in the Olympics" she says. I guess there was one thing I forgot to tell them. "Wow, that's impressive" my dad says turning to me and I shrug. I guess that one slipped my mind. We spend dinner talking about the season so far and the lockout. Mary Kate gives them the details about how the deal got done and they hung on to her every word. I've never brought a girl home so my parents were excited to say the least. It helps that Mary Kate is one of the funniest and most interesting people I've ever met. "Seems like you pretty much have your life together" my mom laughs. "Not nearly as much as I would like to, but I'm getting better at it. I just find it easier to always stay humbled and remember where I came from" she says. The dinner was great and totally not in my diet, but my seasons almost over, I'm not going to die. "Excuse me, I need to use the restroom" Mary Kate says and she removes herself from under my protective arm, it was a habit.

"She's real nice Jonny, I'm happy for you" my mom says. "Thanks mom, I really love her" I admit. "Trust me son, we can tell" my dad says as my parents start laughing. "How so" I challenge. "Just the way you look at her, like she's the only one in the room. Even when we talk on the phone you were able express more motions about her than when you talk about anything. Even hockey" she explains. "You have to tell me, is she really good? Like should I worry about Canada's woman's team losing in the Olympics" my dad asks and my mom playfully smacks his chest. "I would be worried. I think she could play for the US men's team and I would still be worried about facing her" I laugh and my dad smiles. "Can't wait to watch her play" he replies.

We finish up dinner and Mary Kate and I head back to the hotel to prepare for the next day. "Tomorrow could be the last game of the season, that's crazy" she whispers as we lay in bed. "It is, but I honestly hope we can win it tomorrow so I can stop stressing" I laugh. "All I know is that this is a good hockey team who has a unhealthy love for the dramatics" she laughs. Hopefully tomorrow won't be too dramatic.

With seconds ticking away we find ourselves down by one scrounging for a goal. Scoring wasn't particularly high this series, a lot of really good defense and goaltending on both ends. It gets under two minutes and Corey is pulled for an extra skater. Kaner chips and chases the puck into the o zone and retrieves it. Eventually the puck squeezes out to me and I found myself with two options. Chip like hell at the net and hope it goes in or draw the goalie and defenders over and try to get it to Bickel who was standing alone in front of the net. I see the net open and decide to pass to Bicks who easily taps the puck in and ties the game with a minute and a half left. We all exit the ice and send out the fourth line. I honestly wasn't happy with the idea of this game going to over time yet again so I was hoping for a miracle here. Seventeen seconds was all it took for us to go from looking at a game seven to being minutes away from another Stanley cup championship. Bolland had collected a rebound and scored what proves to be the game winning goal. As the seconds tick away I throw my things in the air as the puck trickles down the ice. The Chicago Blackhawks were the 2013 Stanley cup champions. We all take off and go to Corey who was brilliant this post season and celebrate. Patrick was named MVP because duh and I was handed the only trophy that mattered. Hundreds of names are etched into this trophy and I was going to be on there twice, that's pretty cool. I hand the cup off and watch as the team skates around with it. It was surreal. We were so close to another game seven but we were able to change it all in the matter of seconds. I was mostly just happy it wasn't another 49 years after the last one, just three years this time. "I'm so proud of you" someone calls out and I see Mary Kate standing there. Family wasn't allowed out yet so it was just her and me for a little. "We did it" I say and she nods. "I never doubted you guys. Not when you were down 3-1 to Detroit or down 2-1 here. You guys always pull through" she says. "Come here" I call out and she runs into my arms. "I love you so much" I whisper into her longs hair. "I love you most".

Eventually my parents are let down and I'm able to talk with them. "Looks like you found a good luck charm" my dad says pointing to Mary Kate. "Yeah, she's really great" I say watching her do a unusual handshake with Sharp before coming back to my side. We all fly home that night and await the celebrations that follow.